and your Sweetie, Tim. While I have not gone through what you are now, I watched my mother when she was my father's caregiver until his death from Alzheimer's a year ago. She was both physically and emotionally exhausted. It drains a person in every way but you can and will recover. One year later, my 94 year old mother is back to being healthy and vibrant. My thoughts are with you and your Sweetie. May Peace be a part of these last days. Sending positive vibes and good karma your way.

Sweetie is one lucky woman to have you as a life partner. Your dedication to her life is what dreams are made of. I understand you are ready for her passing. The person you knew passed long ago and what you see now is not quality of life.

I had a spouse pass immediately from a heart attack. As hard as it was, I was grateful he did not linger and suffer.

We all have our burdens to bear. Doing them with gratitude brings a balance to life. I support you.

Find your joy today.

while you can, the best you can.
And ditto on the travels, if you head toward NoHum, PM me and we'll talk.
Be well, and be loved, Friend.

My mom was the last to die in 2008, but the memories of what my mom, dad, and I went through for 10 years as I worked with them both through their lives end still cause me remorse, sorrow, and anger. I hope your memories of this period in your life brings you peace and happiness.

you will continue being a bodhisattva:

I do not intend to go back to work, so it will be my responsibility to keep other people from working.

See you, in the Allegheny. ; )

When you start your rambling don't forget California, I hear it is always "nice this time of year".

U.S. troops under attack in Somalia

U.S. troops in Somalia came under fire in two separate attacks this week, requiring U.S. Africa Command to launch two “self-defense” airstrikes and killing 13 al-Shabab militants, a defense official said.

The first attack came Sept. 26 near Kismayo, a port city in southern Somalia, where a small team of U.S. forces was conducting operations alongside a Somali military unit. They were targeting a bomb-manufacturing network linked al-Shabab, the al-Qaida affiliate in Somalia.

When al-Shabab militants attacked the U.S. and Somali troops with small-arms fire, the U.S. military “conducted a self-defense strike to neutralize the threat and in doing so killed nine enemy fighters,” said Navy Capt. Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman.

Except those weren't terrorists

Somalia's government has requested an explanation from the United States for an air raid that it says killed 22 soldiers and civilians in the north of the country.

Officials in the semi-autonomous region of Galmudug said a US bombing killed members of its forces and accused a rival region, Puntland, which is also semi-autonomous, of misleading the US into believing those targeted were members of the al-Shabab armed group.

meanwhile, children starve

The U.N. just announced that due to drought and famine over 300,000 Somali children are suffering from severe malnutrition. This means that over 100 children are already dying everyday from starvation. Soon the number will reach many hundreds a day, bringing back memories of the most recent Great Horn of Africa drought in 2011-12 when the U.N. admitted that 250,000, almost entirely children, died from starvation.

And this drought and famine is worse.